Youngsters are naturally drawn to adventures, but what kind of adventure could possibly compel a child to say it’s “better than ice cream, video games and amusement parks all in one day?” Those are the exact words of a fourth grader from Wilkes Elementary School when describing IslandWood, “a school in the woods” that integrates environmental, science, art and technology experiences using nature as a backdrop.
About 3,000 students participate yearly in the nonprofit environmental education center’s four-day school overnight program. More than 70 schools from all around Puget Sound participate in the program, which has provided the opportunity to more than 20,000 kids since IslandWood’s opening about six years ago. Yet that is not enough: The organization has a waiting list of schools eager to participate.
To help with this demand, an expansion is in the works that will accommodate another 1,000 youngsters per year, a 30 percent increase.
“The most important reason why the timing is right is that our programs are full and we’re turning away schools,” says Executive Director Ben Klasky. “We always expected to have to expand someday but it happened so much faster.”
Located on 250 acres that comprise five eco-systems, the IslandWood campus is not simply another camp in the wilderness. Respect for the environment radiates from every corner of the 70,000-square-foot, LEED Gold-certified facility — the extensive list of environmentally friendly features and the architecture of the buildings are direct lessons in stewardship. Even the art studio is made out of straw bale. But the most important lessons happen under the blue sky, on the trails, in the floating classroom, the vegetable garden, suspension bridge, tree house, or one of many other outdoor spaces.
While the overnight program, designed for fourth- through six-graders, is the main focus of IslandWood, a variety of community and adult programs are offered throughout the year. “All the buildings are multi-use. When kids go home, we use the buildings for adult programs,” Klasky says. Those programs, including community rentals and summer classes, help generate income that partially supports the school program and scholarships, especially since many of the students come from underserved communities whose schools have a high percent of free and reduced lunches.
The facility has an interesting, if not unusual, mix of nature and modern living. Visitors will find that vegetables are grown on site, food leftovers are composted, waste water is recycled using a so-called Living Machine, solar energy is used in various ways, and so on. But they’ll also find less expected features: One of the outdoor spaces has a campfire and a hi-tech projector screen with a white board; classrooms have computers; beautiful artworks decorate the buildings. It is a serene, relaxing, yet modern environment all at the same time, with the nature serving both as backdrop and center stage.
“Our programs are about getting people outside and teaching them to be sensitive stewards in the world,” says David Hunting, public relations coordinator.
Three lodges provide relaxing accommodations after a long day spent outdoors. “The objective is for them to be comfortable after spending so much time outside,” Hunting says. “It’s not a Spartan, Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts type of experience.”
The overnight accommodations are what currently cause the center to burst at the seams. The expansion calls for a fourth lodge , more classroom space, and an upgraded laundry facility. These additions will not only allow more kids to stay for the overnight program, but also enhance the community/adult offerings — which will mean additional revenue to help make IslandWood more self-sustainable.
The new lodge will follow the same design, which not only minimizes the environmental impact but also helps the buildings blend into their surroundings. In addition, more housing will be provided for the graduate program, offered in partnership with the University of Washington. Graduate students can integrate their coursework with teaching at IslandWood, but currently the school cannot guarantee them all a housing spot.
“We are being very strategic in how we’re building these new buildings. The dining room and great hall can handle one more lodge, so we’re maximizing the use of current infrastructure,” Klasky says.
The goal of the capital campaign is to raise $8 million, and nearly $7 million of that has been obtained during the quiet phase. Among the major contributors are the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and ongoing sponsor Boeing Co. ; $1 million was secured through state funding. The public phase of the campaign was launched earlier this year.
“Any small amount helps. It’s important to have broad-based community support,” Klasky says. “The last million is the hardest and involves a lot of meetings.”
Preliminary construction has already started on parts of the project, and building permits for the classrooms and lodge were received in February. Mithun, the Seattle-based architectural firm that designed the original facility, was hired to design the new project as well. Drury Construction of Poulsbo is the builder. Construction is expected to be finished in 2009.
IslandWood’s visionary program and facility design have been recognized nationally, and visitors come from all over the world to take a look at the architecture. And while this unique nonprofit organization no doubt enjoys this kind of attention, what they’re more excited about is the ability to bring local kids opportunities they would not have otherwise.
“We’re creating these amazing experiences; many of those kids have never been in the woods before,” Klasky says. “We know from experience that programs like IslandWood raise test scores, particularly in math and sciences… Our programs help kids become more enthusiastic about learning when they return to their classrooms.”
